At NRO, Daniel Pipes Take Issue With Gov Christie for Veep

I don’t think I could stomach Governor Christie as Veep; not just for his coziness with Islam, but his horrendous record on the Second Amendment. That said, I would find it highly unusual for a Governor from the Northeast to pick another Governor from the Northeast to run as his Veep so I am not going to get all worked up about this. A Christie Veep makes no Geo-political sense while Christie’s anti-gun views, among other things, would be a polling disaster out here in ‘Bitter-Clinger’ country.

A Quinnipiac poll in April showed Chris Christie as the most popular potential Republican vice-presidential candidate, thanks to his budget cuts and standing up to government employees’ unions. But the governor of New Jersey has a problem, specifically an Islam problem, that can and should get in the way of his possible ascent to higher office. Time and again he has sided with Islamist forces against those who worry about safeguarding American security and civilization.

Some examples:

2008: When serving as U.S. attorney for New Jersey, Christie embraced and kissed Mohammed Qatanani, imam of the Islamic Center of Passaic County, and praised him as “a man of great goodwill.” He did this after Qatanani had publicly ranted against Jews and in support of funding Hamas, a U.S. government–designated terror organization, and on the eve of his deportation hearing for not hiding an Israeli conviction for membership in Hamas. In addition, Christie designated a top aide, Assistant U.S. Attorney Charles McKenna, to testify as a character witness for Qatanani.

2010: After Derek Fenton burned three pages of a Koran at a 9/11 memorial ceremony, his employer, New Jersey Transit, got Christie’s approval to fire him. Protecting Islam at the expense of the constitutional right to free speech, Christie endorsed Fenton’s termination: “That kind of intolerance is something I think is unacceptable. So I don’t have any problem with him being fired.” The American Civil Liberties Union successfully represented Fenton to get his job back.

2011: Christie appointed an Islamist, Sohail Mohammed, to the New Jersey state superior court. Mohammed’s record includes serving as general counsel to the American Muslim Union (which has stated that a “Zionist Commando Orchestrated The 9-11 Terrorist Attacks”), acting as spokesman for Muslim prisoners who went on a hunger strike after being jailed during Ramadan, defendingPalestinian Islamic Jihad operative Sami Al-Arian (his indictment, Mohammed said, was “nothing but a witch-hunt”), and helping Qatanani’s legal defense. Mohammed established himself not just as the Islamists’ lawyer but as one of them.

When members of New Jersey’s Senate Judiciary Committee asked Mohammed appropriately tough questions about his enthusiasm for Islam’s archaic law code, the Shari’a, Christie ridiculed the lawmakers: “Shari’a law has nothing to do with this [appointment of Mohammed] at all. It’s crazy. It’s crazy. . . . So, this Shari’a law business is crap. It’s just crazy. And I’m tired of dealing with the crazies. I mean, you know, it’s just unnecessary to be accusing this guy of things just because of his religious background.” For this outburst, unsurprisingly, the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) thanked and applauded Christie.

2012: The revelation that the New York Police Department had conducted surveillance of Islamists in the New Jersey towns of Newark and New Brunswick prompted not gratitude but outrage from Christie, who termed the action arrogant and paranoid while mocking NYPD Commissioner Raymond Kelly as “all knowing, all seeing.”

In short, Christie has hugged a terrorist-organization member, abridged free-speech rights, scorned concern over Islamization, and opposed law-enforcement counterterrorism efforts. Whenever an issue touching on Islam arises, Christie takes the Islamist side against those — the DHS, state senators, the NYPD, even the ACLU — who worry about lawful Islamism eroding the fabric of American life.

Two factors render this pattern especially curious: First, soft-on-Islamism policies are common among Democrats but rare among Republicans (Grover Norquist being the major exception). Second, Christie takes an ostentatiously pro-Israel stance, as reflected by his speeches and his recent “Jersey to Jerusalem” trip; this makes him unusual, for a pro-Israel stance typically goes hand-in-hand with concern about Shari’a. How does one reconcile the Christie contradiction?

It could be ego: The governor is more brilliant than we are. It could be that, other than fiscally, he is not a conservative. Or, as severalanalysts suggest, it could be cynical double pandering: Muslims get what they want most and Zionists get what they want most, with each side ignoring what Christie does for the other. Indeed, Senator Joseph Lieberman of Connecticut pursued this double-track policy (soft on Islamism, staunch on Israel) and he became the Democrats’ vice-presidential candidate in 2000, when practically no one noticed the contradiction.

Whatever his reasons, we conclude that Chris Christie lacks the moral compass and integrity needed to serve as vice president of the United States.

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We're not easily offended and don't want people to think they have to walk on eggshells around here (like at another place that shall remain nameless) but of course, there is a limit to everything.

Totally agree with you. While he is doing good in NJ, he is NOT the guy to pick. As far as NJ and the 2nd Amend, a friend of mine wants to get a handgun in NJ. She needs 2 references and has to get fingerprinted, show need to own the gun and jump through tons of hoops. I told her in PA, I just walk in, get the instant check and am out the door in 10 minutes. ( 20 minutes if I am chatting about guns to the shop owner..)

He doesn’t believe that the Second Amendment applies to the States. The Supreme Court disagrees with him. As far as I am concerned, this is an anti-Civil Rights position, no different than if he wanted to re-instate “Coloreds Only” waterfountains or some such nonsense, except being anti-Second Amendment is de facto pro-criminal. It only benefits the people who will break the law anyway to get guns. Totally disqualifies Christie for national office.

Because he’s NJ which gives him exposure to the Philly and NY media markets. The Left makes him out to be a Conservative, so he got embraced.

A grim, sardonic, and probably accurate assessment—to which I would add that Christie is good at self-publicity, and his girth simultaneously makes him someone who is discussable, but who is not taken seriously (and who will be attacked for his size without mercy if he steps out of line, changing from “lovable, patronizable fat man” to “walking heart attack unworthy of office” in a heartbeat).

Exactly! Christie got the “Conservative” label because he took on the Unions and didn’t raise taxes. He’s also socially Conservative, so to the NY/Philly media he’s a Conservative. But if you review his record, he’s a Moderate and belongs in NJ.

I don’t know that he is even good for New Jersey. Supporting someone who is pro-gun control in the North is akin to supporting a Seggregationist as being “good for the South”. Gun control is anti-Civil Rights. Period, full stop. It is an unacceptible position for any elected official to hold. The Supreme Court is slowly coming to that conclusion. Just as there were small civil rights victories that led to seggregation being over-turned, we are seeing small (but ground-breaking) decisions on the Second Amendment. I won’t be satisfied until the Second Amendment is as thoroughly protected as the extra-constitutional right to abortion.

I get that but, in the context of NJ politics, there are worse choices than Christie. So while to you and I, Christie is not good, there are worse people in NJ politics. He’s lesser of evils, something we are seeing at the national level as well.

If people think I am making it up that Romney supports the Muslim Brotherhood in Syria, here’s his campaign:

“On Syria, what we have seen is the Obama administration has been shamefully absent from this crisis. The situation is we have some 9,000 civilians who have been killed in Syria, this has been going on for a year,” he said. “It’s almost as if the Obama administration doesn’t understand both the humanitarian cost as well as the strategic blow this would be to Iran, because Syria is Iran’s Arab ally.”

Those were not 9,000 civilians. Those are Muslim Brotherhood fighters and supporters. Romney is just a Muslim Brotherhood lackey.

Rodan wrote:
She probably would be his mistress if she could.
My head exploded when I found out she used to live with Bill Maher. And she STILL defends him as ‘funny’

Ann Coulter is a Lawyer… That alone ought to tell you all you need to know about her. She is very intelligent. Just because she figured out a lucrative market to exploit doesn’t mean she is or ever was as conservative as people who read her books assumed.

Her books and her talking head appearances were always about making money. She wrote what conservatives wanted to hear and gave interviews that were sufficiently controversial to ensure that her books sold well.

Remember, the hallmark of a really “Good” lawyer, is the ability to argue either side of any case put before them and do so with an appearance of utter conviction, regardless of what they themselves actually think or feel.

O/T but a thought occurred to me looking at the Drudge headline stating that 1275 U.S. Soldiers killed since obama took office, whatever happened to the MFM talking heads “solemnly” pointing out “grim milestones”?

She went from being totally against “RINO Romney” to being totally in the bag for him. She apparently has little principle of conviction other than what it takes to sell her next book. Romney is better than Obama, and I will support him over Obama, but she underwent a full conversion while there were many others in the field. She has never adequately explained that. And she has always been sold on Christie, which, given her voiciferous support of the Second Amendment I just plain don’t get.

Maybe he is just taking a P.C. slanted swipe against obama’s foriegn policy failures?

While it would be refreshingly honest for him to say, muslim killing muslim with both sides staffed by bad actors and no clear U.S. interest, we should not get involved; such a position would be red meat for the media.

@ eaglesoars:
She’s a Notheast Liberal Republican who used Conservatives for book sales. This election has exposed her.

I don’t think she is a Liberal Republican, more likely a Conservative lite, or moderate. But you are right about her writing specifically to the conservative market purely as a revenue producing device.

Personally I think she chose to market specifically to the Conservatives because it was something she was able to relate to. Like yourself, bombastic hyperbole comes naturally to Ann, and she exploited that natural inclination.

Is she s Conservative? Na, more likely a right leaning Moderate Republican or a conservative lite.

And she has always been sold on Christie, which, given her voiciferous support of the Second Amendment I just plain don’t get.

Meh… I put that down to Ann having a bad boy attraction issue. Just like her having once lived with Bill Maher. She knows better, she just can’t help herself when it comes to being attracted to a certain kind of bad boy.

Iron Fist wrote:
And she has always been sold on Christie, which, given her voiciferous support of the Second Amendment I just plain don’t get.
Meh… I put that down to Ann having a bad boy attraction issue. Just like her having once lived with Bill Maher. She knows better, she just can’t help herself when it comes to being attracted to a certain kind of bad boy.

And I should point out that you really ought to understand that female bad boy attraction issue, otherwise, well, you would most likely still be single… 😛

Human actions are altering the atmosphere, the land, and our oceans, placing new pressures on the Earth’s ecosystems and threatening the health and economic welfare of our Nation and the world,” said Tom Armstrong, Executive Director of the USGCRP. “High-quality and well-coordinated research is essential if we are to better understand and predict future changes, develop strategies to minimize our vulnerabilities, and adapt to changes that can’t be avoided

American voters oppose U.S. military involvement in Syria, where the government has killed an estimated 7,500 people as it tries to end a year-long uprising. In addition, a majority thinks there should be a national debate before the U.S. intervenes in hot-spots around the world.

Arizona Sen. John McCain has called for U.S. air strikes to help the anti-government rebels — something the United States did in Libya. A Fox News poll released Thursday shows that a slim 51 percent majority of voters opposes that action, while 37 percent support it.

Larger majorities oppose the U.S. providing weapons to anti-government groups (64 percent) and launching air strikes to try to oust the Syrian government (68 percent). Fully 78 percent of voters oppose U.S. troops on the ground in Syria.

@ eaglesoars:
I thought Obama had divine powers to make the ocean levels recede and heal the Earth? He said so in 2008 and the media has declared him a god-king!
///

Ah yes. I’d forgotten.

Too bad he can’t do anything about jobs either. Did you see the ADP report today? 119k jobs created in the private sector in April. FAIL. And I will remind you that those March numbers of 209K were adjusted downward to 201K

The Second Amendment issue I view as a touchstone, in that it often shows how much trust the politician is willing to place in the average American, and this carries through to every other issue. It also tends to show how much respect a politician is willing to place in the constitution, which again carries through.

The Second Amendment issue I view as a touchstone, in that it often shows how much trust the politician is willing to place in the average American, and this carries through to every other issue. It also tends to show how much respect a politician is willing to place in the constitution, which again carries through.

Exactly, that is why some of us (Iron Fist and you and a few others) consider any politicians 2nd amendment position a make or break issue.

@ Rodan:
And it could be simply that Romney is using the unrest in Syria as a club with which to clobber Obama. He’s campaigning, Rodan. Don’t put too much credence in the stands that any candidate takes on peripheral issues. They will say whatever they think gives them advantage against their opponent.

Americans are against intervention in Syria. Romney is using the wrong club. If a majority of Americans are against getting involved in Syria, why use that?

It’s because the GOP foreign policy establishment has been hijacked by Wilsonians who love wars for democracy. This is not a campaign tactic, its a core ideology of the GOP establishment. They want another war to establish another Islamic state.

This is a huge turnoff for me. If Obama was not a 3rd World style Marxist I would sit it out. The is the last election I will ever vote in. I mean this very seriously.

I think we are getting ready to see anothe rRecession (like the first one ever ended). Britain has already entered their Second Dip. I think our “Recovery” is mostly smoke and mirrors bullshit, anyway, but this indicates that it is going away.

The Second Amendment issue I view as a touchstone, in that it often shows how much trust the politician is willing to place in the average American, and this carries through to every other issue. It also tends to show how much respect a politician is willing to place in the constitution, which again carries through.

@ Iron Fist:
you are correct sir (ala Ed Mcmahon)
West (for example) as much as ‘we’ may love him – is most likely un-electable.

I wouldn’t bet on that, West holds his own extremely well. Moreover, how priceless would the debates between West and Biden be? West knows how to attack and does not hesitate to go for the kill when he see’s the opening, Allen West would have Obama screaming like a little girl and running for cover so fast Obama would be the first human being to break the light speed barrier.

Oh come on guys, let’s not give up hope just yet. I am currently sustaining myself with the mental image of Allen West standing on Obama’s head using Uncle Joe Biden to beat Obama half to death. (mental image: Allen West using Biden like a croquet mallet on Obama’s noggin)

citizen_q wrote:
OTHO, she refused to help me draw a happy face or write “Exit Only” on my butt in preparation for my colonoscopy.
OK, now I’m not sure who is sicker, you or your wife…

I am!

First I learned the hard way not to sleep with someone crazier that I am. Secondly my wife has better sense than to try and elicit a giggle from someone manipulating a TV camera on a cable through the heart of darkness.